A modular system is typically described as having interchangeable modules which once assembled, can also be separated, rearranged, and reassembled into products and applications of differing size, shape, complexity, or function. Modular products have been and are now primarily fabricated from rigid materials such as wood, metal, cast plastic or stone, and are assembled into walls, ceilings, flooring, furniture, closet and shelf systems, and various other products and applications. However, most rigid material modular units require a large assortment of hardware and parts, use of hand or power tools, and detailed drawings and instructions to fasten the units together. Once assembled, separating the parts is equally complicated and often causes irreparable damage to units, hardware, or both.
Therefore, many products labeled and sold as modular are often only assembled once; into a permanent fixed product, thus negating important features and benefits of a modular system. Additionally, rigid material modular units are often bulky, heavy, or both; and may require costly manufacturing equipment and processes, packaging, and freight.
Flexible and semi-rigid materials such as fabric, vinyl, plastics, rubber, paper, mesh, composites, and leather are commonly converted into a multitude of consumer and industrial products and applications such as quilts, clothing, and home decor by cutting patterned shapes by hand or machine and permanently fastening the cut pieces together by sewing, heat or laser welding, or adhesives.
Accordingly, flexible and semi-rigid materials are not commonly made with a modular system. For example, many quilters and crafters typically cut and machine sew hundreds of squares, triangles, and other shapes to produce one single quilt or wall hanging. However, once sewn together, the pieces cannot be separated without damage, reconfigured, or reassembled into a different size, shape, pattern, or function.
Some other modular systems in present use employ jigsaw puzzle type pieces; stacking-type construction pieces with peg-in-hole components; magnetic shapes that attract each other; rubber bands wrapped around pieces to connect; or other methods that can be separated and reconfigured, but these assemblies do not typically have a secure system of connection and can pull apart or collapse with relatively low level force. Therefore, the range of products and applications that can be created and the integrity of construction are significantly limited.
Therefore, there is a need for a modular connection system that allows for the connection of multiple modular units into two dimensional and three dimensional products using a secure but separable connection system.